Better Days
by ElisiansBane
Summary: An early Christmas fiction. Wolfram muses over life, love and family and tells Yuuri what he wants for Christmas. Angst. First fic so please be nice.


Hello, everyone! I am ElisiansBane and this is my first fic on in over two years. I have another account under the name Xavilyn that has two of my short stories. (Don't ask why I have two accounts, it's a long embarrassing story) Anyhoo, this fic was inspired by the song Better Days by the Goo Goo Dolls (awesome band btw) for which it is named (or really the first half inspired this fic).

Warnings: not beta read. I went over spelling and coherence myself but I always miss something or other.

Other warning: angst

Pairing: Yuuram

Disclaimer: I do not own Kyou Kara Maou or the Goo Goo Dolls and I am simply using these two wonderful creations for my own amusement and hopefully the amusement of fellow readers.

This is my first time writing angst. I usually write humor/parodies so constructive criticism is ok, but no flaming. Feel free to say what an awesome fic it was all you want! XP! joking. Enjoy!

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The great pine loomed over the ballroom. Ribbons and banners and all manner of holiday trimmings that you could imagine covered the walls and mantles of the grand room. In the corner, the royal advisor played a light tune on the violin to entertain the princess as they awaited the guest of honor. Underneath the tree were stuffed a thousand boxes and bags of bright colors of shiny wrapping paper; half of them were for the aforementioned princess. There were a few though that bore his name and the names of his family and friends, all waiting to be opened and loved. But the beauty of the gifts were dwarfed by the leering perfection that was the Christmas tree, it stood proud with its handmade ornaments of glass and gold, some were painted with the seals of the Ten Aristocrats, other were graced with the pictures of snowflakes and sleds, reindeer and swans. Intertwined between the glowing orbs were gold and silver ropes of beads hugging the tree like a long lost friend. The room was made for feasting and family, to shield out the cold reality that loomed outside the black windows.

Wolfram affectionately touched the most beautiful of the ornaments on the tree. Its beauty lay in the hands of the one who made it, a simple cardboard cut out of a tree decorated with macaroni and finger paint with the words 'To Daddy and Papa, from Greta, Your Sugar Plum Fairy' written in that special child script that was so charming in its bubbly crooked letters. To Wolfram, no artist or craftsman could make a more perfect trinket that captured the essence of the season so completely.

Wolfram's thumb brushed over the name 'Papa' and the harshness of reality sauntered into his thoughts. Papa, Yuuri, his love, had done everything in his power to make this occasion as close to perfect as possible despite the mess the world was in for the sake of their daughter. The stench of death loomed near for all of them and neither knew who would be its next victim. Outside, other papas were also trying to give their children something to look forward to, something to hope for in the coming days. Yuuri's idea had met with criticism of course, why would they throw a Christmas party when things were so dire? Yuuri had simply stated that Greta had never had a real Christmas and since they missed her birthday she was owed deeply. Despite previous backlash, the inhabitants of Blood Pledge Castle gained enthusiasm for the occasion, decorating, cooking and at the insistence of the king, writing wish lists.

In a sense, Wolfram understood where Yuuri was coming from. Yuuri wanted to create as many happy memories with their child as possible before it was too late. Yuuri had no idea when they could all be together in peace again with the threat of attack hanging over them like a bad parody of mistletoe.

_Kiss me!_ It cackled.

Tomorrow, the first battalion would be deployed and two weeks after that Wolfram would go with his troop of fire mages to provide back up and heat if the weather stayed as cold as it had been. Then Conrart would be gone too, Yozak had left weeks ago for a reconnaissance mission and no one had heard from him since, not even Gwendel. One by one, they would be sent into the unknown, probably never to return.

Everyday Greta would ask why the soldiers were packing, why were they moving around so much? What was going on? She heard the maids talking about a war. Yuuri would jump in and say it was just talk, the soldiers just wanted extra training or they were going on an extra long trip, he would dance around the question and change the subject. He'd ask her what she wanted for Christmas and she'd take the bait and rattle off a list of dolls, books, dresses, and everything a little girl of eight could think of to want.

Yuuri was desperate to preserve his baby girl's innocence at any cost, even at the cost of his honesty, and judging by the immense pile of gifts, the royal treasury. Almost to the point of gross denial.

If you had asked Wolfram what he wanted, he would have said without hesitation "I want to go back, back to when we were younger, back to when we had time. I want to love and be loved. I want to look my daughter in the eye and tell her I'll be back and not feel like a liar. I want her to never loose either of her parents. I want to hold my love and tell him he's the best thing that ever happened to me. I want to tell my brother I'm sorry. I want my mother to stop sleeping around and spend time with her sons. I want to marry and adopt more children. I want this to be a bad dream and I'll wake up. I want everything I can't have. Can you give it to me?"

The grand tree stood as silent as his pleas. He didn't expect an answer anymore than he expected his wishes to be granted. Never.

The sound of Greta squealing "Papa!" woke him from his thoughts. He turned to see a blur of purple taffeta and lace tackle a slim figure. "Greta! How is my little princess doing?" Yuuri asked. Wolfram allowed himself a soft smile as he watched Greta recount her time with the maids baking cookies and cakes and all sorts of treats for everyone. "I made a special cake for you and Papa, it's chocolate, your favorite!"

"Why thank you, Greta." He looked over the delicious spread on the table before landing on the special cake. "It looks yummy! I can hardly wait."

"You'll have to eat dinner first or you'll spoil your appetite." Greta said firmly. "Daddy said so or you'll be in trouble."

"Of course, we wouldn't want that now would we?" Yuuri set her down and she ran to greet Gwendel who had just walked in. "When am I not in trouble?" he mumbled dryly. He turned to greet his fiancé at last. "Wolfram." He called warmly.

He would never admit it, but he loved the way Yuuri said his name. The young king had tried very hard to downplay his accent over the years but remnants of the airy light cadence still lingered in his voice. Wolfram liked his accent. It was the one of the very unique things about Yuuri. It made him think of Earth and the amazing sights it had, and what an exciting place it was.

"What's up?" Yuuri looked at Wolfram and then the tree. "Oi, could that tree be any taller?"

Yuuri walked up to one of the branches and lightly touched it in the same way Wolfram had done. "How'd they get in here to begin with?"

"They dragged it up the stairs, the old fashioned way." Wolfram joined Yuuri's side at the tree. "There were pine needles everywhere, Gunter sneezed the castle down but he was determined to see to the preparations personally."

Yuuri chuckled. "Remind me to thank him." He touched Greta's homemade ornament. "Kawaii! Did you notice she tried to write our names in Kanji on the back?" He turned it over. "Isn't she smart?"

"Yes, she is." He said quietly.

The couple just stood next to each other enjoying each other's company, both content in the pleasant silence. Wolfram glanced at Yuuri out of the corner of his eye. It seemed that only yesterday, Yuuri would be jumping with excitement alongside Greta impatient to open his gifts and just as impatient to see what others would think of the gifts he gave to them. Lately, Yuuri's hyperactive energy and determined cheerfulness had been slowly slipping away. He was more subdued and focused than before and maybe it was for the better. Now he at least got his work done sooner and thought things through more. But Wolfram and everyone else missed the spontaneity that Yuuri brought to the palace. Now, it was too quiet to think.

Then again, Wolfram had changed as well. Maybe it was because his mind was finally catching up with the years he had spent in this world. Maybe it was because of that fateful meeting with Yuuri so many years ago. Whatever the reason, no one had seen neither hide nor hair of the overgrown brat that had stalked the halls shouting accusations. Maybe it was because he finally understood that love does not possess or cling to someone, it's to nurture and allow him to grow. Once he realized that, his relationship with Yuuri had prospered and the two were finally able to trust each other with their hearts.

"Y'know…" Yuuri's voice broke the silence. "Everyone has told me what they want for Christmas, except you. So…anything in particular that you might want?"

Wolfram contemplated going over the list he had created in his mind earlier complete with rhetorical question, but thought better of it. Even if they had a renewed understanding of each other, Yuuri probably wouldn't understand either way. Wolfram turned toward Yuuri and examined his accidental fiancé but deliberate lover. He lost himself in Yuuri's beauty. His black eyes and his ebony hair, his tanned skin and slim but muscular frame. Yuuri had now become a perfect fusion of his former self and his alter ego but still kept true to his personality. He didn't go on justice rants or over use his powers anymore. He was becoming everything he was meant to be for his family and his kingdom.

Wolfram came to a decision and his body followed suit. He leaned in and captured Yuuri's lips in a chaste loving kiss. A small pang of anxiety crept into his stomach when Yuuri stiffened and seemed to pull away but Wolfram's arms had wound their way around the young king's waist trapping him in the kiss. Wolfram's pink tongue traced Yuuri's bottom lip in an almost begging manner. Yuuri seemed to regain his senses and broke the kiss. He ignored the raw look in the prince's eyes.

"W-Wolfram? " Yuuri had a mixed look of surprise and worry in his dark eyes.

"I want you…." He rasped his arms squeezed Yuuri tighter. "Tonight, before I leave. I've waited long enough for you and I want what is due to me, Yuuri."

"Wolf, don't you think this is too fast? We can wait until-"

"There is no time!" Wolfram whispered harshly. "We had time when you became king, we had time when you brought me back from the Bielefeld lands, we had time when you finally said you had feelings for me. But did we? No, now we'll be apart and there's no guarantee that we'll live long enough to see each other again, and you know it!"

In an unusual display of affection, Yuuri pushed a stray piece of hair away from Wolfram's forehead.

"Don't talk like that Wolf. " He said. "We'll see each other again..."

"What if we don't?"

"Let's not think about that-"

"Then what will we think about? I'm hardly in a festive mood, wimp."

"That's why we need this, so we can have a moment where we're not torturing ourselves thinking about tomorrow and especially Greta needs this. She's taking this the hardest."

"Yes, but she's a strong girl because she took after her soldier father and not her wimpy father."

Instead of the usual response of not being a wimp, Yuuri smiled softly. "That's the first time you've called me a wimp in almost a month."

Wolfram only responded with a nonchalant 'hmph'

"Everyone told you what they wanted and you more or less gave it to them. Are you going to deny your fiancé what he wants? "

Yuuri regarded Wolfram for long time in silence. Wolfram had never made any demands for physical intimacy other than chaste fondling in the time their relationship progressed. To be honest, Wolfram was just as nervous about taking that final step and sealing their bond permanently. If the opportunity were not so thin, he probably would not have brought it up to begin with. The blonde demon was getting nervous when finally the king spoke.

"Alright, tonight is yours. Wish granted"

Yuuri leaned forward and pressed his soft lips to the waiting mouth of his betrothed. Wolfram allowed himself to be drawn into the embrace completely. Yuuri gently deepened the kiss, his lips moved with confidence as his strong arms pulled the slight blonde closer to him. Wolfram lost himself in the loving embrace, completely forgetting they were in a public room and if he did, he didn't care.

Yuuri finally let him go and held the prince at arm's length. The two stared at each other for a long moment, both trying to search for some hidden meaning in the other. Yuuri gave a slight smile and turned Wolfram so that his back was pressed to Yuuri's stomach. Yuuri wrapped his arms around Wolfram and rested his chin on the blonde's shoulder.

"Wait and see." He whispered into Wolfram's ear, which made the blonde shiver. "When this is over, we'll find better days."

As he stayed in Yuuri's embrace, he idly wished that others were making use of the time they had left and spending it with their loved ones as he was. He decided that he would follow Yuuri's example and enjoy this moment for what it was. If he did not, there would be no promise that he would get another chance. He remembered an old saying from his childhood.

_Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it's called the present._

He would accept this gift while he could and still hold on to the hope that the season inspired.

_We'll find better days._


End file.
